Apparatus for assembling members



March 4, 1930. R. HOFSTETTER APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS 4 Sheets-She'et 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1927 r m W a M f w M (m 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. HOFSTETTER APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS Filed Feb. 15, 1927 March 4, 1930.

March 4, 1930. R. HOFSTETTER APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS Filed Feb. 15, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 4, 1930.

R. HOFSTETTER Filed Feb. 15, 1927 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w f/qd 57 /40 Q l //0 o) 9 M67 n 0 9 5g l4 m9 94 77 76 74/ fiqg Patented Mar. 4,1930

PATENT OFFICE nonnnrnorsrn'rrnn, or nownnns enovninmivors, ASSIGNQR TQ wns'rnniv ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or NEW,YOBK, n. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW APPARATUS FOR AssEMBLING MEMBERS Application filed lebruary 15, 192], Serial No. 168,314.

' This invention relates to apparatus'forasjsembling members, and more} particularly to I protector block parts.

methods of and apparatus for assembling It is theipractice insome instances in as V sembling certain classes of articles to estabf; lish the'assem'bled relation'of. the individual parts thereof by the-insertion of one part I. ormember ithin an opening'p'rovided in another companion member. -Thus, for. ex

' ample, in the assembling of memberswhich constitute protectorfblocks of the type com I monly employed for the purpose of protecting telephone circuits; a carbonelectrode is "porcelainblock; The Width'of each carbon electrode should conform'substantially tothe I width of the porcelainblock aperture into which it is inserted inorderto facilitate the,

securing {of the insert in said central position by a subsequent application of bonding materialor'cement, as clearly set forth in myv r filed February '15,,1927

'copendin'g 3 application, Serial No. 168,318,

1 The primaryob'ects of this invention are to providean improved a-pparatusfor [excordance with the general features of the'in peditiously and economica-llyassembling previously gauged 'members within companion members. 1

To attain these and other objects a'nd'in ac- 1 vention, an apparatusis provided which in+ cludesmeans for retalnlng separate supplies of previously gauged carbon inserts. 'Por Y reee ivin'g means and'subsequently the width -of-jtheaperture of each positioned block is gauged. In response to this gauging operto an inserting station. The gauged por+ cela-inblock is then advanced and the selected carbon insert is inserted within the aperture of the'block. The porcelain blockand'asso- 1 ciat'ed insert are .then advanced or indexed from the inserting stationand contemporane ouslytherew th the next advanced and gauged porcelain blockis brought into assooiation with the inserting station. Thus it inserted Within the aperture of a companion;

- will be understood that the porcelain blocks are supplied with carbon inserts which conform in size to the apertures thereof, the entire assembly operation being automatically controlled and the protector block parts assembled n continuous, successive order.

These and other objectsand features of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered In connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating'and assembling apparatus embodying the features of the invention, in

i which Fig. 1 is a fr-agmentary plan view of an assembhng apparatus wh ch represents one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken":

on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional vieWt-ak'en on the line 83 ofFig. 1, one of the carbon insert hoppers being broken away to disclose certain. mechanisms otherwise hidden;

Fig. it is a detailed, sectional view of the positioning mechanisms taken on the line Fig. 5is a fragmentary, elevational view of'the lower endof the positioning fingers as viewed from theleft (Fig.4)

* Fig. G'is an elevational view of the carbon.

inserting mechanism taken on the line 6(; of F g. 1; v I I Fig. 7 1s a detailed, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 77 of'Fig. 6;

upperiportion of the gauging mechanismas viewed from the left (Fig. 3);

Fig. 11 is a vertical, sectional View taken ontlie line .1111 of Fig. 3, an electrically operated trip mechanism being shown in elevation;

Fig.12is a circuit diagram disclosed in associat on w th the insert trip mechanisms;

Fig.1?) 1s a perspective view of an assemlikenumerals have been employed to designate simi ar parts throughout the various fig.- ures, it will be observedlthat for the purpose of illustration, applicants inventionhas been disclosed in connection with an assembling machine simulating the type of machine disclosed and described in detail in applicant's copending application, vSerial No. 168,313,

filed February 15, 19 27. An indexingmechanism denoted generally by the numeral 20 comprises hearing. member 21 mounted within a machine vframe 22 and rotatable within the bearing member 21 is a vertical dexing plate 26 by means of a switching or' shank 24 (Fig. 2) the lower end of which is formed with an enlarged head or flange 25,

and the upper end supporting a horizontally disposed indexing plate 26 secured thereto. Intermittent rotationisiinpartedto this inindexi'ng cam 28 keyed to adrive shaft 29 which engages with rollers-31 carried on the lower face of the flange 25 so as toiinpart one-eighth of a revolution tothe indexing plate 26 for every Equally spaced and marginally positioned with respectto the. indexing plate Qtifare eight pairs of clamping fingers 32 and 33 and during each dwell of the indexing mechanism .20 an apertured porcelain block; 35 of the type disclosed in Figs. 13 to lo' 'in'clusive conducted from a suitables'ource ofsupply (not shown) may be fed into position beneath the clamping fingers upon the forward movement of a shifter bar 36 1 and 2). These porcelain blocks 35 which may be guided by means of a suitable chute 38 are individually carried into operat ve association with the forward end of a rain 39 which is designed to intermittently advance a block thus associated into a position to be acted upon by the shifter bar 36;- The mechanism for intermittently operating the shifter bar 36 and the'ram 39 which are described in the detail in copending application, above referred to, include cams 40 and 41 carried by the drive shaft29. The cam 40 operates a lever 43 which imparts a horizontally reciprocating movement to the ram 89 and the camll actuates a horizontally. disposed lever 44 which is operatively connected with carriage45 by means of a coil SPl'lI 7 encircling an actu- T ting rod e8. The carriage &5 supports a rod upon which the shifter bar 861s mounted.

Upon being fed into position beneath the clamping fingers 32 and by the shifter bar lain block therebeneath.

revolution of the drive 86, the porcelain block 35 isindexed into association with a positioning station 51 (Figs.

1 and 4) During the dwell of the indexing plate at this station a pair of positioning fin v gers 53 and 5 1 (Fig. at) arelowered into an aperture 56 of the positionedbloclr, The lowering of the positioning fingers is occasioned through the action of a cam 57 (Fig. 2) which actuates a rocker arm 58 connected with one end of a rocker arm 61 which in turn actuates a slide block 62. When the fingers 53 and 54 reach their lowermost position a spring 64 causes the finger 53 to be swung outwardly with the result that the porcelain block 35 associated therewith is properly positioned. As shown in Fig. 5, the positioning'lingers V are provided with anan'gular surface 65 and a vertical surface; 66 oppositely disposed therefrom which cooperate as the fingers are lowered within the aperture-56 of the porcerain block to arrangesaid block in properlatoral aligninentQait this stage of'the operation theclamping fingersSZ and 33 are moved grip the porce c 9 down'wardly so as to firmly The movement of theclamping fingers 32 movedinwardly with the result that a plunger 71 having a spring connectionwith pins \TB'1SLlO VIGIQClLPTl1O pins '73 support the clamping fingers and hence said fingers are and 33 is controlled through the operationof a continuously rotatingrcam 67 which is f adapted upon eachrotation thereof to en- 5 gage with a roller 68 carried by a slidable'c'am v I block 70. The engage nent of this cam 67 with the roller 68 causes the cam-block 710 to he yieldinglyheld-in' clamping engagementwith V the porcelain block. The porcelain block now clamped in proper position is carriedinto association with a'gauginginechanisin denoted bracket member 7 6 which issuitably'secured in an upright position upon the machine frame and is provided with 'averticallyslid able head77. The upper end of this head"??? generally'by the numeral 7 4' (Figs. 1, 8 and '9). This gauging mechanism 74 comprises a is secured to one end of a rocker arm 79, the

tioning' of a porcelain block therebeneath.

Pivoted. within a longitudinal opening 83.-

other end of said arm being connected to a1 vertical rod 80. The rocker arm? 9 is oper-. ated through the action of a cam 82'(Fig. mounted on. the shaft 29, said cam beings timed to effect the lowering of the slidable head 77 contemporaneously withtheposi provided in the head 77 is a pair of similar, I

oppositelydisposed gauging fingers 85 (Fig. 9)." .These fingers are provided with tips 86 which are normally held closed by coil springs I 88 mounted within the head 77 When the tips 86 have been lowered within the aperture 56 of a positioned porcelain block a pushrod 89 is urged upwardly. by the action of a cam 91 (Fig- 2) and a rocker arm 92' connected with the upper end of the rod "8 9 iseactuated to cause lowering of a vertical rod 94 (Fig. 8) The lower end of therod 94 is providedwith and-supports a loosely. mounted or hinged [wedge shaped member 95 (Fig, 9) which uponthe lowering thereof engages projections 97 on the pivoted fingers 8 and causes the'tipsfl86 thereof to become-se arated; The lowering of the wedge shapedmember 95 and the rod 94 up n which it is mounted is arrested when the tips. 86 have been carriedfinto engagement with opposite sides' of the porcelain block aperture 56, but the forward end or the rocker arm 92 continues to be lowered against the r per end of the rod 94. The upper end of the action of a coil spring 98 encircling the unrod 94 carries a cross bar 100 (l igs. Sand 10 Y which engages the underside of three levers 102,103 and 104when said rod occupies its uppermost position. v These levers are pive ote'd at one end to the upper end or the 'bra-cket76, the opposite ends thereof being secured to coil springs106 which continually exert a ielding downward pull on said levers and which serve also as a current conductor inair electrical circuit later to be described. 'Thelower extremities ofthe springs 106 are "secured to'terminal posts107 mounted with iiran'insulating block 1 08jsupported by the brackets. lPositionedlbeneath each of the levers; 102, 103 and104f near the'free ends thereoiare three threaded'studs or contacts 110, 1 1 1 and'112 (Figs. 8 and 10) which are suitably secured to the upper end of the braclret76 and are designed, for engagement with their respectivecompanion levers at dif- :tereritlevel's. Thus, for eXarnple,'the stud or contact 110 will be engaged by its companion 1ev'er"102 upon the lowering ofthe cross head 100 prior ltothee'ngagement of the lever 103 with its 4 companion contact 111 and likewise the'i engagement of the 1'ever 104 with the contact 112; will bes'ubsequent to the engagement of the lever 1'03 with the {contact 111. Ob} viously, the crosshead 100 is lower'edsuliiciently"jallof the levers willbe carried" into engagement with their respective contacts From the foregoingit will be" clear that. the distance throughwhich theirod 94 and thefing'ers .102, 103and104 are lowered will be. determined by'the width of theaperture 56 of the porcelain block in whichthe finger I tips 86 are separated, Ir'the porcelain block aperture is relatively small thelowering of Ithe cross head 100 willonly besu'tlicientto 7 permit the lever 102 to engage with the contactllO andfi-f the aperture 56 is otmedium Width bothofithe 'levers102and103 will en gage with theirfrespectivecontacts and likewiseifsaid aperture is relatively large, all of p the levers 102, 103 and 104: will engage their respective contacts. In connectionwith the functioning or the gauging mechanism, ust

5 described, it is to be I understood that the engagement of the levers"102, .1 O8and 1'04 and their respective contacts serves to effect certamv electrical circuits, later to be described,

whichcontrolmechanisms to effect the propersel'ection of carbon electrodes or inserts 114 from a supply station 115 (Figs.- 1 and 3). It is also to be understood that the forward extremity of the rocker arm 92 which is provided witha contact 116 operatesuponthe engagement of said contact with a shoulder surface118 (Fig. 8) to close certain electrical circuits not yet described, subsequent to the engagement of any oneor all of levers 102, 103 and 104 with their respective contacts.

Subsequent to the gauging of the porcelain block 35, it is advanced into association with a carbon electrode inserting station 119 1, 6, and 7). This inserting station mechanism 119 includes a bracket 121 which supports a pivoted rocker arm 122. One extremity ofthe rocker arm 122 is operatively connected with a cam 124 (Fig. 1) on the drive shaft- 29 and'the other extremity supports a plunger 125, which is designed to feed carbon inserts positioned therebeneath into the 'aperture56 of the positioned porcel'ainblock. The carbon inserts 114 are advanced into position beneath the plunger 125 through the action of a ram 12? (Figs. 1 and which is reciprocably operable within a horizontal guideway 128 through the actionof a suitablecam 180. During each rotation of the cam 130 the ram 127 experiences one complete reciprocation and during the advancing stroke thereof causes a carbon insert delivered into the guideway'128 by a mechanism about to be described to be advanced into position beneath the inserting plunger 125. J

The carbon insert supply station 115 com prises a group of hopper mechanisms 132, 133 and 134 each; mcludmg a fixed hopper 136. "A receiving plate 137 rotatable within cac'hof the hoppers 136 is provided with an annular groove 139 (Fig. 3) which is adapted to receive and advance carbon inserts to a delivery chute 140 which is designed to direct inserts red thereto downwardly into association with trip mechanisms or magnets, thcse mechanisms being denoted generally by numerals 142, 143 and 144, correspondingto the hopper mechanisms 132, 133 and 134, respectively. These trip mechanisms each comprise'a plunger 146 which is pivotally connected with a latch member 147 (Figs. 11 and 12) and it will be apparent 149 and 150, the magnet 143 likewise'conr;

prising a pair of induction coils 152 and 153 and the magnet 144 comprising a single induction coil 155. One terminal of the coil 149 of the magnet 142 is electrically connected with the lever 102 and the other terminal thereof is connected with one terminal of a suitable source of electricalcurrent supply 156, the opposite terminal of said supply being connected with the lever arm 92. Thus, it will be apparent that when a porcelain block'having a relatively small aperture is being gauged in response to the actuation of thearm 92 and the rod 90 (Fig, 8) an electrical connection is established within the circuit containing the coil 149 by the engagement of the lever 102 with the contact 110 and upon the continued movement of the arm 92 subsequent to this engagement, the circuit will be closed upon engagement of the contact 116 of the arm 92 With the surface 118. The magnet 142 will be energized and its plunger actuated so as to effect the 'deposition within the .guideway128of a previously gauged carbon insertfrom the hopper mechanism 132. If a porcelain block having an aperture of medium size 1s belng gauged, the levers 102 and 103 will engage their respective contacts and hence the circuit containing the coils 150 and 152 together with the'circuit containing the coil 149 will be closed, the energizing of the coil 150 in this instance serving to counteract the inductive effect of the coil 149, thereby rendering the plunger of the magnet 142 functiona ly inoperative; The energizing of'the coil 152 of the magnet 143, however, will cause the actuation of its companion latch member 147. Thus a previously gauged carbon insert of'medium thickness will be deposited into the guideway 128 from the hopper mechanism 133. In the event that" all of the levers 102,103 and 104 arecarried into engagement with their respective contacts, the circuit containing coils 153 and 155. will be closed together with the closing of the aforementioned circuits, and in this instance, the energizingof coils 150 and153 serves to counteract the inductive eifectof the coils 149 and'152, respectively, thereby rendering the plungers of the magnets 142 and 143 functionally inoperative. The energizing of the coil 155, however, causes the actuation of its associated latch 147 and a carbon insert of greater thickness from the hopper mechanism 134 will be delivered into the guideway 128. From the foregoing description it will be clearly understood thatupon each forwardstroke of the ram 127 a carbon insert corresponding '10 the determination made by the gauging mechanism 74, will be advanced to the inserting station. After the carbon electrode has been properly inserted within its companion porcelain,

block these associated members are delivered into a position to be subsequentlyacted upon by a shifter bar 158 which is supported by the rod 50. In order that the porcelain block T and its associatedinsert may be readily r emoved from the indexingplate 26, the clamping fingers 32 and 33 must be elevated to release the block. 7 means of a cam slot 159 (Figs. land 2) provided in a projection 190, extending laterally from and formed integral with the lower portion of the bearing 21. The rollers 68 entering the cam slot 159 are carriedoutwardly This is accomplished by and the clamping fingers 32 and 33 are thereby released."

.1111 the operation of the assembling apparatus, just described, rotation is imparted to the shaft 29 and a shaft 161 (Fig. 1) in parj 'all'elism therewith from acommonsource of suitable power supply (not shown).v The shaft 161 through a geared'connection at one 1 extremity thereof imparts continuousrotation to the cam 130 which causes the reciprocation of the-ram 127 and the shaft 161 also causes continuous rotationof the receiving plates 137 within eachjof the carbon insert,

respective hoppersf136and porcelainblocks I 35 are intermittently 'deliveredt'o the indeX- 1ng. plate 26 upon each reciprocation of the ram 39 and the shifter bar 36, A block'thus V associated with the plate 26 isadvanced to the positioning station 51 where it isproperly i positioned by the fingers 53 and 54 and yield ingly clamped in position upon the plate 26 by thefingers 32 and33. A subsequent in I deXing movementadvances the block'to the gauging mechanism 74 in which position'the tips 86 of the gauging fingers 85 are lowered into the aperture 56 of the positioned block and in response to the degree'of separation of the tips 86 therein, oneor more of the electrical circuits'containing the trip magnets 142, 143 and 144 are closedand one of the plungers 146 is actuated. The actuation of this plunger causes the lowermost previously gauged insert 114 within the chute 140 associated with the latch 147 of the actuated l plunger to be depositedwithin the guidewav 128 and the forward stroke of the ram 127 contemporaneously advanced to receive the deposited insert at'the station 119 and sub,

sequent to the insertion of the carbon electrode or insert within the aperture of the i'block, said block is advanced into. position to be engaged by'the shifter bar 158, From the foregoing it will be clearly understood "that the operation of the machine is continuous and that previously gauged inserts are selected in response to the gauging of the porcelain block apertures and subsequently in serted within companion gauged apertures in continuous, successiveorder.

Although the invention as herein illustrated and described is particularly well adapted forassembling protector block parts,

it should be understood that the novel features thereof are capable of other applicationsandshould be limited only by the scope '7 for the appended claims.

' fl/Vhatis claimed isz In apparatus for assembling gauged members withcompanion members,

retaining means for individual supplies of previously gauged members, means tor gaugving companion members, actuating means therefor, and means operable in response to the actuation of the'gauging means'to selectively release members from the individual supplies thereof for association with the gauged companion members in accordance with thedetermination madeby the gauging means; f

r i 2. Inapparatus for assembling previously gauged members with; companion members, retaining means for individual supplies of previously gauged members, an assembling mechanism, means for gauging companion members, actuating means therefor, means operable in'response to the actuation of the gauging means to selectively release members from an individual supply in accordance with the determination I made by the gauging means, and means for feeding'th'e released:

members to the assembling mechanism. 3. lnapparatus, for assembling previously gauged members with companion members, Q; retaining means for'individual supplies of previously gauged members, an assembling mechanism, means for gauging, companion fmembers, actuatingmeans therefor, means for continually advancing companion memhers to the gauging means and the assembling mechanism, means'operable in response to the actuation of the gauging means to selectively release members from individual supplies in accordance with the determination made by the gauging means, and means for feeding released members to the assembling mechanism contemporaneously with the advancement thereto of a gauged companion member; I v

' 4; In apparatus for assembling previously gauged members with companion apertured members, retaining means for individual supplies of previously gauged members, an

inserting mechanism, means for gauging the previously apertures of companion members, actuating apertures of companion members, actuating means therefor, vmeans associated with each retaining means for releasing members therefrom, means for selectively operating the releasing means in response to the actuation of the gauging means, and means for advancing selectively released members to the inserting mechanism.

6. In apparatus for assembling previously gauged members with companion ape'rtured members,- retaining means for individual supplies of previously gauged members, an inserting mechanism, means for gauging the apertures of companion members, actuating means therefor, an intermittently operable indexing mechanism for receiving and advancing apertured members to the gauging means and the inserting mechanism, a plurality of electrically controlled tripping devices associatedwith the individual supplies, means operable in response to the actuation of the gauging means for selectively operating the tripping devices to release members from the individual supplies in accordance with the gauging determination,

means for advancing selectively released members to the inserting mechanism, and means for actuating the inserting mechanism during the dwell of the indexing mechanism.

7 In apparatus for assembling previously gauged protector block electrodes with companion apertured blocks, hoppers for 1ndividualsupplies of previously gauged electrodes, an inserting mechanism, means for gauging the apertures of companion blocks, actuating means therefor, an indexing plate for receiving and intermittently advancing companion apertured blocks to the gauging means and the inserting mechanism, means for continually feeding apertured blocks to 'the indexing plate, electrically controlled tripping devices associated with the hoppers, means for selectively operating the tripping devices in response to the actuation of the gauging mechanism to release electrodes from their individual supplies in accordance with the gauging determination, means for feeding a released electrode to the inserting mechanism contemporaneously with the advancement thereto of a companion gauged block, and means for actuating the inserting mechanism during the dwell of the indexing plate.

8, In'apparatus for assembling members of various sizes with companion members having apertures of various sizes, a plurality of retaining members, one for each size of the first mentioned members, means for individually gauging the apertures of the companlon members, and means responsive to r the gauging means for selectively and individually releasing the first mentioned members from the retaining members.

9. In apparatus for assembling members of various sizes with companion members having apertures of various sizes, a plurality of containers, one for each size of the first mentioned members, means for individually gauging the apertures of the companion members, means responsive to the gauging means for selectively and individually releasing the first mentioned members from the containers, and means for conveying the said members into associated relation With each other.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 31 da of January, A. D. 1927.

' ROB RT HOFSTETTER. 

